Some time back, I embarked upon creating sock yarn from scratch, beginning with scouring, dyeing and combing raw local Suffolk fleece. If you missed the early, exciting stages (yes, that is a joke!) here is a post about the wool. Here is one of multiple dye adventures. And the spinning went on at intervals over some months. It’s hard to make incremental progress in spinning fun with photos!

Here is the first sock being knit at a coffee shop after exercise class, overseen by a dog.

Here is the second sock, almost done on the weekend when I cooked for many friends planting 500 trees on land two of our friends (and their two children, as they grow) are reclaiming, rehabilitating and revegetating with a degree of care, thought, vision and commitment that is awesome to behold. I was just too scared of back re-injury to plant. So made myself a bit useful kitchen handing. In between times, I knit and chatted with small folk. I even did the hilarious feat of walking while knitting.

It was hard to photograph the socks really well. But there are some nice colours in there!

And I am a sucker for the ingenuity of the heel arrangement. The socks have whimsical cables, which puzzled some onlookers and delighted others. And they are in no way twins, which likewise puzzled and affronted some while pleasing others very much. I’ll be honest, this is not exactly what I intended. But you know–they are fine! And headed to a happy new home as I type. They will be snug, and hopefully, made as they are from a suffolk/silk/mohair blend and dyed with plants and cochineal–strong and colourful both. And–there is enough for another pair, perhaps with a toe that, in this context, will not stand out if knit from a different yarn altogether–the finished socks weigh 101g and 89g remains…

13 responses to “Handspun, hand dyed, handknit socks”

I LOVE these socks!! To go from ‘go to woe ‘ has been a secret, unfulfilled passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I found each step along the way of these wonderful odd creations plus the story of their evolution – enchanting. Thank you for sharing another of your enticing posts. Maidi

Awww, Maidi! Thank you so much. I’ve found this project humbling. Like you I love the idea of doing the entire process. But goodness! It has taken a long time. It shows me how differently I’d need to do things if I were going to spin all my own sock yarn! Which still seems a good goal.

Lovely fun socks, as always!
Have you heard of “The Toaster Project” by Thomas Thwaites? Quite fascinating start to finish exploration of what goes into something as “simple” as a toaster. I see he’s now on to other things (how to be a goat!)
: )http://www.thomasthwaites.com/

These socks are spectacular! I love the way the colours work together so richcly. I find it a little hard to see the whimsical cables clearly (save the ones around the calf on the mostly-yellow sock) which is a pity, because I’d love a clearer impression of how they turned out. It’s a lovely concept that I might just try for myself at some point. *finds self wondering if a whimsical-cable sweater would work, and energetically suppresses the urge to explore this idea right now…*